Golotian

Through raging storms and crushing tides, through the bowls of mountains and the streams of heaven, we follow the path of the Martyred Goddess for it leads us to the Flames of Life.
~ Common saying within Clan Gamaria

Commonly known as the "People of Journeys" or the "Headless Wanderer" the Golotian are a species of often nomadic and semi-nomadic Clans that travel around the whole of Cenorad in order to satiate their inborn curiosity. While this curiosity in combination with their love for challenges has brought them all sorts of trouble, their impressive martial abilities together with the high mobility of their handcrafted mounts have allowed them to elude most serious consequences time and time again.
This was best seen during the so-called "Struggle of Emergence", when the entire species suddenly re-emerged from the winding tunnels of the Depths centuries after their presumed extinction, which shocked the inhabitants of the surface to their very core and led to countless fights with the Golotian, which they often could decide in their favor despite being heavily outnumbered by their opposition.
Today even hundreds of years after this event the Golotian are still regarded with a great amount superstition, which is in large parts thanks to their reclusive lifestyle and their notoriously difficult to understand langue that makes it incredibly difficult for outsiders to learn more about this fascinating species. As the Golotian themselves are either unaware of these preconceptions or simply don't care about them, they are bound to persist for centuries to come.

Basic Information

Anatomy

While having the appearance of a bloated humanoid corpse the Golotian are neither products of the Pale Arts nor are they flesh-husks possed by a transcended Soulsmith or Lich Knight. Instead, they are living, breathing creatures of flesh and blood that just happen to look -and in some cases- smell like they just rose from their graves.
This fact is even harder to comprehend given that their most prominent feature is the complete absence of a head, which has been replaced with a neck stump that is framed by strands of felted hair. In the center of this stump lays a teeth-lined gullet that serves as the mouth and breathing hole of the Golotian.
Their two arms end in hands with five fingers, whose nails often possess a marbled coloration. Similar nails can also be found on their toes and at the end of larger hair strands.

Biological Traits

Universal Traits

Also called Golo Ghar, universal traits are mental and physical traits shared by nearly all Golotian and which therefore can't be assigned to a single Clan or group of Clans.

Golo ga Tian ("The Godess' Call")

A mental condition present in basically every Golotian, which causes an increasing feeling of uneasiness the longer an individual remains in a state of physical or mental inactivity. In order to counteract the mental itching of this condition the Golotian therefore regularly engage in intense physical and mental activities, to prevent the Ghora Agolumu ("Accursed Stagnation") of their being. On a species level, this condition is the reason for the nomadic lifestyle of the Wandering Clans and the spiritual journeys of the Standing Clans.

Golo ugo Gugtro ("The Thinking Bowel")

A physical trait, which links the concentrativeness and mood of a Golotian directly to their diet and current blood sugar levels. Due to this Golotian that are either currently eating or which have recently feed are notable more concentrated and emotional stable than hungry individuals.
Because of this trait, proper nutritional intake is very important to the Golotian, as even short periods of malnourishment can result in severe mental side effect and full on starvation is a sure way to develop Ogid Gwun ("Madness born of Esurience"),

Golo ao Utgru ("The Gracious Blessing")

A physical trait which grants the Golotian an increased resistance against the elemental backlash of Dragon-Fossils and also enables them to sense the proximity of a sufficiently strong Fossil.

Clan Traits

Clan traits are physical or mental characteristics of the various Clans that often have a profound impact on the customs and culture of the Clan affected by them.

Ga Golgagaf ("Search without End")

The characteristic trait of Clan Gamaria, Ga Golgagaf is an intensified version of The Goddess' Call, which causes such strong feelings of restlessness that even the thought of remaining in a place for an extended period of time causes physical pain and can even lead to the development of a blistering rash. Due to this, it is no wonder that Clan Gamaria is the archetypical Wandering Clan.

Ga Mogugma ("Wandering Mind")

The trait of Clan Oguroug, Ga Mogugma is the exact opposite of Clan Gamaria's trait, with the members of Clan Oguroug being able to spend days in an almost motionless meidative stance. Yet while their bodies might rest, their minds are a chaotic whirlwind of thoughts and ideas, which leads them to a life full of endless and aimless debates.

Ga Gudul ("Embrace of Caves")

The characteristic trait of Clan Dugulgu, this trait causes a significant reduction in body height and weight as well as a marble-like bleaching pattern on the individual's skin. On the other hand, this trait grants those affected by it an unrivaled connection to the Earthly Mosaic, which allows them to traverse the tunnels and caverns of the Underground with unparalleled speed and accuracy.

Ga Osgargura ("Way of Solitude")

The trait of the infamous Clan Samogas, Ga Osgargura instills a compulsory lone wolf mindset in those affected, which causes them to cut ties with their Gtar and wander the world in solitude. Given that just the mere thought of abandoning one's Clan orGtar is regarded as a grave sin against the Martyred Goddess, those affected by this trait are shunned by all other Clans.
To make matters worse the speed with which Clan Samogas is able to replace losses in its ranks also hints to the possibility that this trait is, in fact, transmittable, which has led some Clans to actively hunt and execute Golotians affected by it.

Ga Glogalu ("Restless Hunger")

The trait of Clan Bagul, Ga Glogalu turns those affected by it into ever-hungry gluttons, which seek spiritual revelation through the consumption of copious amounts of food. Due to this, members of the Clan are considerably bulkier and larger than other Golotian, though surprisingly their bulk is not caused by fat deposition, but instead by pure muscle mass, as the members of the Clan focus their excess energy into a strict and intense training regiment.

Genetics and Reproduction

The Golotian reproduce through a complex mating process that requires multiple partners of both sexes to be successful. Additional the Leading Elements of the various partners have to balance themselves out in order to prevent an "Elemental Imbalance", which would result in the "meltdown" of the unborn child.
Following a gestation period of 22-25 months female Golotian give birth to 1-3 live young in a manner similar to other mammalians. In rare cases, a set of five children called a Ghu ghar Gur-Gurgurot ("Quintessential quintuplets of the Quivering Quaich") is born, which is considered a blessing of the Martyred Goddess, as these children are the only Golotian that are able to wield the Might of the Goddess without the aid of an artifact.

Growth Rate & Stages

Newly born Golotian possess a so-called Grugu ("Natal head"), which is a fluid-filled sac sitting at the end of the umbilical cord, which is attached to their neck stump instead of their nonexisting navel. While fulfilling a role similar to a yolk bag, this "head" is commonly removed during the ceremonial "beheading" of the newborn Golotioan.
In some Clans, only the heads of the males are removed via decapitation, while the "heads" of female newborns are instead crushed by her parents. Grugus that are not removed continuously shrink in size over a time period of 8-11 days until they are devoured by the newborn itself.
Following the removal of their "heads", the only major physical difference between juvenile and adult Golotian is their size. Depending on their food intake and Clan specific quirks, it takes between 20-24 years for juveniles to reach physical and sexual maturity.

Dietary Needs and Habits

• Eight beakers of Fever-Sorghum
• Twenty Caps of Splinter Mushroom
• Six pine cones infected with Salivating Mold
• A handfull of Roughcorn Chilis
• Two pots of fermented Mudboar urin

~ Recipe for "Throatslayer" Gr'g

The Golotian are not very picky in regards to their food and as long as they are able to fit an object into their teeth-lined gullet they will at least try to eat it. Should their potent stomach acid not be enough to adequately digest the object, they will simply regurgitate it.
Furthermore many Golotian regularly consume various corrosive beverages -generally referred to as Gr'g ("Swill") - in order to enhance their digestive capabilities and to disinfect any potential wounds caused by their feeding behavior.

Additional Information

Social Structure

For Clan and Gtar, let loose the storms of war!
~ Warcry of Clan Gernagol

The society of the Golotian is organized into extended families of varying sizes commonly referred to as Clans or Glons ("Journey Kin"). Each Clan is commonly defined by a certain characteristic physical or mental trait of its members, though some of the larger Clans are also known to possess multiple of these traits.
At the bottom of the Clans, hierarchy stand the Utar ("Unbound"), which primarily consist of the children and adolescent members of the Clan. Additional Golotian that lost their Gtar either through combat, accidents or age-related deaths also become part of the Utar until they once again become part of a Gtar.
The central part of each Clan is formed by dozen if not hundreds of so-called Gtar ("Fivefold Bond"), which are tight-knitted groups of five Golotians that act as the central family unit within a given Clan. While the members of a Gtar are not necessarily blood-related, they generally share such strong emotional bonds that few would ever assume otherwise. This misconception is further aided by the fact that the members of a Gtar commonly address each other as either Aulogra or Ulagula, which roughly translates as "Beloved One" and "Precious Kin".
Besides pure family units, the Gtar also serve as the smallest military formation deployed by a Clan. Due to this the decision which Golotian are joined together by the Fivefold Bound is not only a decision of love and trust but also one of strategic consideration and tactical planning. Because of this the members of any given Gtar generally possess a diverse set of skills and talents, which allows them to act as highly versatile and fully self-sufficient formations for an extended period of times. Some Clans also possess specialized subtypes of Gtars, that commonly serve as the elite shock troops of their respective Clan.
Given their great importance to both the Clan military and the day to day survival of the Clan, only the members of a Gtar are allowed to attend the Ogaru Grah ("Gathering of Kin"), which serves as the central governing body of each Clan and also as the gathering, which elects the "head" of the Clan in the form of the Uoghan og Gtar ("Guiding Bond of Five"), which like other Gtar also consists of a total of five Golotian. In addition to the Uoghan four additional Gtar -called Hor Gtar ("Honored Bond of Five") -are also elected by the Ogaru Grah, which serve as the advisors and honor guard of the Clans Guiding Bond.

Types of Clans

Wandering Clan
Wandering Clans practice a nomadic lifestyle, which commonly doesn't follow a specific route but instead leads them all over Cenorad. On their often perilous journeys, they collect countless souvenir, explore marvelous regions and accumulate fantastical stories of bravery, which they use to satiate the inborn curiosity of their species. While most Wandering Clans travel in one large convoy, some of the larger Clans regularly split themselves into smaller caravans that travel along their very own routes.
Standing Clans
Standing Clans practice a sedentary lifestyle, which often leads them to construct vast and elaborate fortresses referred to as Gohumolgra alg Lagromu("Seat of the Valiant") by their inhabitants. These fortresses are generally located in harsh or outright hostile environments, as while the Standing Clans don't share the need for constant traveling and changes in scenery of the Wandering Clans, they most definitely share their lust for challenges and trails of endurance and so quell these urges through the defiant survival in a locations that few species would even consider habitable.
Resting Clans
Resting Clans practice a semi-nomadic lifestyle, continuously changing their lifestyle from those of a Standing Clan to those of a Wandering Clan. The manner in which this change happened depends on the specific Clan, but the most common method consists of some parts of the Clan traveling in a nomadic fashion between smaller castles and outposts held by the remaining members of the Clan. Other Clans travel in their entirety between predetermined resting places, generally timing their journeys to the change of the seasons or other periodic events such as animal migrations. Regardless of how these changes happen, most Resting Clans strictly separate them in a cultural fashion, to the point that they possess completely different customs and traditions for these two aspects of their lifestyle.
Circle Clans
The name "Circle Clan" is a catch-all term used to describe Clans that don't show a preference for a specific type of Leading Elements and therefore have users of all elemental types within their ranks. The name is a reference to the necklaces and circular tattoos often worn by the members of such Clans as a sign of unity and the fact that Clans that prefer a specific element often consider them as "smooth" for failing to embrace the jagged nature of a single element.
Thorn Clans
The so-called "Thorn Clans" are Clans that unlike the Circel Clans show a strong bias towards a specific type of elemental power, to the point that Clan members that show greater affinity towards a different element are generally exiled from the Clan. The name of these Clans refers to the so-called Gorln ("Thorn") Emblems that commonly worn by the members of such Clans, which consist of a five-pointed star that possesses an enlarged and commonly ornated corner, indicating the dominant element of their Clan.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

The largest population of Golotian can be found in the Gull ghor Gamhura ("Sacred Place of Sacrifice") or the Shifting Lands as the region is called by other species, though this information is as useful as saying that most fishes can be found in the sea, given the spatial distortions and ever-changing geography of the Shifting Lands.
Outside of the Shifting Lands, the fortresses of Standing and Resting Clans can generally be found in remote and harsh locations, though some exceptions exist, such as the White Fortress of Clan Kojal in the Yigin Delta.
Given their nomadic lifestyle, the members of the Wandering Clans can theoretically be encountered in any region of Cenorad, though they also generally prefer rough and untamed lands as these provide them with the everyday challenges the members of most Wandering Clans long for.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Given the lack of any head structures, the natural senses of the Golotian are limited to their sense of touch and taste. While their sense of taste is poorly developed, their sense of touch is highly advanced and allows them to perceive even minute vibrations in their surroundings.
The extrasensory capabilities of the Golotian are referred to as Gargag Gorgoro ("Harmony of the Fivefold Senses") and allow them to perceive their environment through the Five Elements, with their leading Element determining the dominant perception type. Depending on the capacity of their personal artifact and the availability of their leading Element the range of this perception can range from a few meters to dozen of miles.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Just call me Gul.
~ Gulgugol Gagua Oglu-Angulao Golugra alag og Gom Golarugonlu gul Dugulgu

Given the great significance of the number "5" within their culture, it is no surprise that the names of the Golotian are composed out of five parts.
The Glon-Gar ("Journey Kinship") represents the Clan of the individual and is therefore composed of the name of the individual's Clan together with the prefix gul ("belonging to"). Examples include gul Gamaria ("belonging to Clan Gamaria"), gul Oguroug ("belonging to Clan Oguroug") and gul Bagul ("belonging to Clan Bagul"). Clan Samogas instead uses gul Gu ("belonging to oneself") as its Glon-Gar, due to the solitary nature of its members.
The Gtar-Gar ("Kinship of Five") represents the Gtar of a Golotian and is used in a similar manner to a family name. It consists of two components in the form of the Ogoru Stog ("Banner name") of the Gtar and the prefix alag og ("bearer of sth."). Examples of a Gtar-Gar include alag og Rogavgra ("Bearer of the Raven Standart"), alag og Bagrodudol ("Bearer of the Molten Sand") and alag og Tugogort Tul ("Bearer of the White Tea"). Individuals that don't belong to a Gtar instead use alag og Dolg ("Bearer of None") as their Gtar-Gar.
The Rugra-Gar ("Service to Kin") indicates the profession and current role of a Golotian within his Clan. Most Clans use relative board terms, such as Golugra ("Warrior"), Gulogo ("Wanderer") or Ugron ("Sage") to describe these occupations and then add specific pre- and suffixes based on individual performances and achievements to allow for further differentiation between individuals. Such Horgu Ul ("Titel of Excellence") include Unulo Golugra ("Brave Warrior"), Gulogo gurath ("Wanderer of a thousand miles") and Ongu-Ugron gorutalo ("Versed Sage of winding paths").
The Geromul-Galu ("Distinction of the Shape") is based on a distinct physical feature of an individual such as notable birthmarks, scars or pigmentation anomalies. Some Clans, such as Clan Bagul, also practice various forms of body modifications and ritual scarification in order to mark each of their members with a unique physical trait, called an Ugra Gar ("Kin's Mark"). Examples for a Geromul-Galu include Gronanver ("River Chest"), Groy Ulog ("Three-finger") and Yugolum ("Scorched Knee").
The Olomunar-Golu ("Talents of the Spirit") describes a personality trait or peculiar mannerism of a Golotian. Together with the Geromul-Galu it forms the core of a Golotian's name and is generally used in a similar manner to the first or second name of a person. The order in which these two name parts are used is generally dependant on the Clan of the individual, though Standing Clans show a clear preference of using the Olomunar-Golu as their "first" name, whereas Wandering Clans prefer the usage of the Geromul-Galu. Examples for a Olomunar-Golu include Olomonola ("Quick-thinking Spirit"), Goglagun ("Ebrious Genius") and Muggutam Ol ("Mother of Ideas").
Given that most species are unable to even remotely pronounce names like Ulonogra Oloua-Ug, Uln Ugron alag og Gaugronahull gul Oguroug ("Rebellious Thought, Striated Arm, Young Sage, Bearer of Broken Shells belonging to Clan Oguroug"), it is no wonder that the Golotian generally use a pseudonym referred to as a Ulgoloug ("Head Name") when communicating with other species. In the case of the example name given above the Ulgoloug would be somewhere along the lines of Ulo Olo or Ulolo.

Major Organizations

Ungu Nagolha ("League of Unity")

Founded by Clan Eugura, a small Clan of skilled mediators and diplomats, the Ungu Nagolha is an inter-Clan organization that acts as an intermediary between the various Clans and whose primary function consists of keeping the conflicts between two Clans to an acceptable level.
In times of great peril, the League also coordinates the armed forces of multiple Clans in order to better combat threats too large for a single Clan to handle.

Beauty Ideals

For the Golotian there exist two distinct types of beauty referred to as Gungamur ("Moving Body") and Gongoma ("Moving Mind"), which represent the physical and mental beauty of an individual. While nearly all Clans concur with a somewhat similar understanding of these terms, they still possess a clear preference for a specific mixture of both elements, which leads to the formation of a so-called Logu Gar ("Ideal of Kin") characteristic for an individual Clan.
The amount of an individual's Gungamur is determined by his or her physical fitness and endurance. Due to this most Golotian regularly perform some sorts of physical training and gymnastic exercises in order to keep their bodies fit and "moving". Additional they also routinely train the usage of their fossil-infused weapons, given that notable skills with ones chosen weapon are also seen as a desirable trait.
The amount of one's Gongoma is determined by the sharpness and creativity of an individuals mind. In order to train their mental capabilities the Golotian test each other's mind with a huge variety of riddles, guessing games and philosophical debates. Furthermore, they also search and trade for a great deal of lost knowledge and obscure trivia in order to keep their minds occupied.

Average Technological Level

The Golotian are widely known for their great craftsmanship and the fact that they label almost all of their possession in Braille-like writings. Their weapons, in particular, are true pieces of art to the point that even the Ikona are forced to acknowledge the "primitive charm" of these creations.
Undoubtedly the most impressive and feared inventions of the Golotian are to so-called Gontion ("Moving Mountains"), which are titanic animated constructs formed from one of the Five Elements that are able to unleash truly cataclysmic spells of concentrated elemental power. Smaller versions of these constructs called Gikogi ("Noble Creatures") are one of the main reasons for the great mobility of Wandering and Resting Clans.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

If you have problems with speaking their so-called language just try to sing an Acarian Opera while simultaneously receiving a larynx massage from an Elarian rubber eel.
And if you really want to get the correct pronunciation, try doing this while drowning in a lake of boiling tar.

The native "throat" of the Golotian is called Gourougugoogulug ("Harmonic Tones of Marvelous Beauty") -which is generally shortened to Gourg- and is primarily characterized by deep, guttural sounds and the inability of nearly all species to correctly pronounce it without choking on their own tongue. Given that each Clan also possesses a great variety of characteristic speech patterns and dialects, it is no small feat that the Yinmoujia managed to decipher this language within a mere four years.

Common Dress Code

The clothes worn by the Golotian are of a practical nature and are made from a huge assortment of typical clothing materials such as plant fibers, furs, and bones. Besides these more commonly used materials, they also use various exotic and atypical materials such as marble pins, porcelain disks, clumps of varnish and shards of terracotta.
Given that the Golotian have only a vague understanding of the concept of colors, their clothes are often colorful beyond reason and rarely consists of matching colors, which resulted in them being referred to as Rotcilffa Sutitsev ("Defilers of Cloths") by the Ikona. In general, each Clan has a specific style of fashion, which is in large parts determined by the current environment of the Clan and its surrounding factions from which the Clan is able to acquire additional materials either through trade or raiding. In addition to these so-called Mogloumu ("Travel Garb"), some Clans also wear a characteristic piece of clothing -known as a Garumu ("Kin's Garb")- regardless of their current environment, such as the Gam Oria ("Black Scarf") worn by the members of Clan Gamaria.
Other notable pieces of clothing worn by the members of many Clans are so-called Gtar ol Bogona ("Treasure of the Fivefold Bond") and the Gomon Ulgo ("Weird Hat").
The Gtar ol Bogona is a small object worn by each member of a given Gtar. It is a highly personal item similar to a wedding ring or family heirloom and therefore is rarely shown to outsiders. It serves as the base for the Gtar-Gar of its wearer.
The Gomon Ulgo is a "mock head" worn by the Golotian upon their neck stump in order to be easier recognizable for other species. While most are little more than round clumps of clay or stone, some are highly decorative busts made from polished marble or iridescent porcelain. Clans that live underground such as Clan Dugulgu also used hollowed out fruits as their Gomon Ulgo, which oftentimes contain a small candle inside of them in order light the way for species less adapted at navigating within the pitch-black darkness of their dwellings.

Culture and Cultural Heritage

Honor the Clan, as it honors you.
Trust the Gtar, as it trusts you.
Fulfill your work, as it fulfills you.
Free your mind, as it frees you.
Shape your body, as it shapes you.
Do so and you shall endure in the face of all odds.
~ Excerpt from the Wanderer's Oath

The culture of the Golotian revolves around the so-called Olo Tigan ("Great Journey"), which is a species-wide undertaking that aims to satisfy the deep curiosity and almost compulsory drive to action originating from the Golo ga Tian. The way in which the Golotian traverse this journey varies strongly between the different Clans and even the Gtar within each Clan, though in most cases it can be attributed to one of three general philosophies, commonly also known as the Uglom ulu Gaoglo ("Way of Three Paths").

Gaoglo Grullanag ("Path of Crossroads")

The adherents of this path attempt to satiate their curiosity through a continuous influx of new stimuli and manifold challenges, which leads them to pursue a wide variety of different tasks at the same time. While they generally fail to truly master one of their chosen profession before moving to the next one, their open-mindedness combined with intense lateral thinking, often allows them to effectively compensate their shortcomings in a particular field with a variety of other skills.
Given their continuous need for new experiences, it is no wonder that the adherents of this path are generally found within the ranks of the Wandering Clans, as the nomadic lifestyle provides them with the diversified trails they long for.

Gaoglo Grolaborg ("Path of Refinement")

Follower of this philosophy tries to focus their restlessness into a single productive force, which they use to continuously refine a specific action until they reach a theoretical point of absolute mastery. While this state can never be truly be archived, given that the act of constant refinement is the true goal of this path, it nevertheless causes the Golotian to gather an incredible amount of skill and finesse within their chosen type of action. While these actions generally contain a few physical elements, they commonly possess a far larger mental component that is then accentuated by the physical components.
Given their highly focused nature and tendency to enter deep meditations, the followers of this philosophy generally prefer the stationary lifestyle of the Standing Clans over the hectic and unpredictable journeys of the Wandering Clans.

Gaoglo Ougugar-Umaon ("Path of Equilibrium")

Individuals that chose this particular path balance the experience of new stimuli against the acquisition of more specialized skills in order to maintain their physical and mental "momentum". As they often take the skills and professions of other Clan members into consideration, before deciding on the intensity with which they pursue a specific set of actions, they are highly suited to cover the potential weaknesses of the other two philosophies.
Due to their adaptability and versatility, they fit in with the lifestyle of any type of Clan, though they are most commonly found within the Resting Clans, where they balance the divergent philosophy of the remaining Clan members.
Regardless to which of the "Paths" the Golotian belong, they nearly universally highly value the concepts of honor, loyalty, diligence, honesty, and endurance, which are sometimes also referred to as the Gta Gaulo Gamolo ("Five Noble Traits").

Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals

Olo Ogloralubag Grah ("Great Espousal of Kin")

A great ceremony during which dozens of Clans come together at a specific location within the Shifting Lands called the Aghor Gamorl ("Place of Bliss"), in order to partake in a series of ritualized orgies during which a large number of future Golotian are conceived. Besides these often daylong acts of reproduction, the Golotian also use this event to exchange gifts and stories with each other and measure their physical and mental abilities against the champions of other Clans. Furthermore, various Thorn Clans also use this event to "trade" children with an unfitting elemental affinity with other Clans in order to remove them from their ranks and simultaneously strengthen their connections with the adopting Clan.
While Wandering and Resting Clans often appear in full force at this event, many Standing Clans generally only send a handful of Gtar to the Olo Ogloralubag Grah, given their aversion towards long distance travels. Only after devastating losses or as a gesture of great honor towards an allied Clan do Standing Clans partake in the Espousal in any notable numbers.

Ogloralubag Grah ("Espousal of Kin")

A smaller version of the Olo Ogloralubag Grah, which takes place when two or more Clans happen to meet each other during their respective journeys. Given their general lackluster attendance at the Olo Ogloralubag Grah, these smaller gatherings are the primary events during which the Standing Clans sate their reproductive needs.

Ugoruna Grah ("Meeting of Kin")

A day-to-day event during which the members of a Gtar come together to tell each other of their days and engage in various recreational activities such as storytelling, philosophic discussion or throat singing.

Common Taboos

To the Golotian the idea of betraying one's Clan or Gtar is absolutely revolting, which makes the act of Grahlu Grah ("Kinslaying") an unforgivable crime that even death can never truly redeem.
In a general manner, the act of abandoning the Great Journey and giving oneself up to "Stagnation" is also seen as a dishonorable act that requires substantial efforts on behalf of the transgressors in order to be forgiven.

History

In a night of fog and rain, the tombstone of the time-honored graveyard shivered and trembled, as a barrage of thunderbolt tore garishly wounds into the sacred soil. And from the blackness of the still smoldering wounds rode forth a horde of headless horrors, their flaming blades lusting for the blood of the townsfolk.
~ Excerpt from The Tale of Sleeper's Pit

Learning about the history of the Golotian is notoriously difficult as the species is generally more fixated towards the events of the present and near future and therefore sees little value in keeping extensive and accurate historical records. Instead, they memorize their past in the form of countless oral traditions such as stories, poems, and songs, which while certainly fascinating and entertaining, offer little in the way of reliable historical data.
To make matters even worse, the nomadic lifestyle of many Clans also leads to the incorporation of additional stories and myths into their already convoluted oral traditions, which makes it nearly impossible to separate true historical events from exaggerations and metaphors.
Due to this, the knowledge about the history of the Golotian is highly fragmented and only allows for a generalized overview of the lives of their ancestors.

Folk of Crowns

Ancient songs passed down over countless generations tell of a group of people known as the "Crown Folk", which are widely assumed to be the ancestors of the Golotian. According to these tales, the Crown Folk were primitive hunter-gatherers that inhabited the rolling plains of central Cenorad.
The name "Crown Folk" presumably refers to the hat-like objects depicted in ancient rock carvings of the species, which somewhat resemble a clew of spiked tendrils. The function and purpose of these "Crowns" have been lost to time, but given that modern Golotian lack any structures that even remotely resemble them, it is generally agreed that their role was of a ceremonial or religious nature.

Travel into the Deep

At a so far undetermined point in time, the Crown Folk abandoned their settlements on the surface and relocated their entire population into the extensive cave systems far below the surface of Cenorad. Based on the few references to this event in oral traditions of the Golotian it is assumed that this relocation was quick and violent in nature, though the cryptic nature of the old tales makes this anything but certain.
The reasons for this mass migration are unknown, though the most common theories blame a lack of prey animals, climatic changes, civil war or the arrival of hostile species as the main causes for the displacement of the Crown Folk. More outlandish theories propose prophetic dreams, abduction by cave-dwelling creatures or cataclysmic events similar to the "Return" mentioned in the old legends of the Ikona as the true reasons for the sudden disappearance of the Crown Folk.

Life beneath

While few is known about the event that caused the Crown Folk to abandon the surface, even less is known about the life that they lived within the everlasting darkness of the Depths. The few scraps of information that can be found in old songs, such as the Song of Ghur Ariom tell of cities carved from red marble deep below the surface, which are illuminated by the iridescent light of glinting crystals.
Sadly these pieces of information are considered to be highly unreliable and inaccurate, given the fact that the Golotian lack a natural sense of sight and therefore were completely unaware of the concept of colors until their reconnection with the surface centuries after the presumed creation of these songs.

The Dark Ascend

While the Golotian possesses only a handful of oral traditions that touch upon the centuries that their species spend within the winding tunnels of the Depth, the event that caused their eventual return to the surface is featured in hundreds of tales and songs. While the exact sequence of events changes from story to story two central incidents can be found in nearly all of them.
The first is the discovery or creation of the so-called G'ngloy fhtugn, which commonly serves as the catalyst that sets the following events in motion. Surprisingly for such an integral story point, even the Golotian are unsure as to what exactly the words G'ngloy fhtugn actually mean, given the notoriously difficult to translate nature of the archaic language spoken by their cave-dwelling ancestors.
The most common translations include "Oath of the Depth", "Pact of Caves" and "Abyssal Fealty", though more obscure translations such as "Dark Reality", "Buried Revelation" or "Truth Below" are also feasible especially if one assumes that the words originate from an entirely different language. Regardless of what the G'ngloy fhtugn was, its emergence led to the second important plot point in the form of the so-called Gugta gulun Oguular[ ("The Decrowning"), which saw the Golotian renouncing the ways of their ancestors and abandon their cities in order to migrate back towards the distant surface. The name of the event is likely a reference to the removal of the "Crowns" worn by their ancestors.

Hordes from Below

When the Golotian reemerged from the winding tunnels of the Depths, the sudden appearance of hundreds of headless horrors that wielded weapons enchanted with the power of fossilized dragons, unsurprisingly caused widespread panic and confusion. This state of panic was further amplified by the fact that the memories of the war against the undead terrors of the Labyrinth were still fresh within the minds of the people, which lead many to presume the Golotian as the harbingers of Nie's vengeance.
Naturally, this lea to countless fights between the inhabitants of the surface and the Golotian, which remained largely ignorant to the panic and confusion caused by their sudden appearance. While commonly heavily outnumbered by the forces rallied against them, the great mobility and self-sufficient nature of their troops allowed the Golotian to often win against impossible odds or simply deny their enemies any opportunities to engage them in battle.
While this period only lasted for around four years until the Merchant-Princes of the Yinmoujia, in their eagerness to find new trading partners, managed to establish productive communication with the so-called Meitou-Meinao ("Headless Ones"), it left a deep impressions on the inhabitants of the surface, with dozen of stories about headless warriors and creatures from the Depths finding their ways into the folklore of many species.
Ironically the military expertise of the "Slayer of Empires" as the Golotian were called, lead to the rise of one of the largest empires in the history of Cenorad in the form of the Old Ikona Empire, whose leaders adopted and refined the "crude" tactics of the Golotian for their own military. The crowning cumulation of these reforms was the decisive victory over the forces of Clan Ottuli in the battle of Nya Tulajd, tough given that the follow-up invasion of the Shifting Lands failed spectacularly, both the battle and the invasion were consequently stricken from imperial records.

Scattered Clans

While the Golotian had risen to the surface of Cenorad as a mostly unified group, the events of the Olugona guga Gagoglagmu ("Struggle of Emergence") -as the Golotian called the various conflicts following their ascension from the Depths- lead to them being scattered all over Cenorad either due to the spatial anomalies of the Shifting Lands, enslavement by other species or as a result of their inborn exploratory spirit.
This caused many splinter groups to be isolated from the rest of their species for multiple decades or even centuries, which resulted in each of them developing their very own culture, customs, and oral traditions. While all but the most isolationistic of groups were later reconnected with the greater whole of their species, the years of separation had resulted in such divergent cultural developments that it proved all but impossible to completely unify the Golotian.
In the following generations, these cultural differences were then reinforced through the appearance of various mental and physical traits unique to each of the splinter groups, which finally lead to the emergence of the Clans in their modern set-up. This physical separation, ironically once again paved the way towards the unity of the Golotian as the various Clans developed close connections with each other, which eventually resulted in the formation of the Ungu Nagolha.

Historical Figures

Gungos Ghang

A mythical individual appearing in dozen of songs and tales, which together with his Exalted Four is widely considered to be the greatest leader of the Golotian. Sadly the nature of the Golotian's oral traditions makes it exceptionally hard to determine the time frame of his rulership, especially as he is mentioned to be involved in countless historical events that happened over a time period of over 3,500 years.

Agroglem Gol Grugrohlon

More commonly known by her Ulgoloug as the Red Countess, Agroglem is one of the most powerful Windweaver in recent history and the Squadron-Mother of Clan Gernagol. The numerous aerial battles won by her elemental power and exceptional tactics have cemented her claim as the unopposed ruler of the skies.

Common Myths and Legends

Song of Ghur Ariom

Also, known as the "Song of the Marble City", this ancient piece of oral tradition, tells the story of a hidden realm deep within the bowels of Cenorad and its eventual downfall at the hands of an unnamed foe. Due to its highly cryptic nature and the usage of countless metaphors and references to even older myths the interpretation of this hourlong song is a daunting task that only a few bother to undertake.

Ballad of the Dragon's War

One of if not the oldest myth of the Golotian, which tells the story of a cataclysmic conflict between the Martyred Goddess and the Triumvirate of Chaos. The conflict devastated Cenorad and was only ended when the Goddess martyred herself in order to shatter her adversaries. Based vague reference within the story and various ancient legends of other species it is presumed that this act resulted in the creation of the Shifting Lands.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

For something lacking a head, they are remarkably bullheaded.

Wandering Clans have a tendency to directly wander through the territories of other species which not seldom provokes a hostile response. As the are furthermore far too stubborn to abandon their chosen path, they commonly have to fight their way directly through villages, forts or even whole cities. On the other hand, their willingness to cross vast areas of difficult and dangerous terrain is highly valued by the inhabitants of some remote areas, which often rely on the caravans of the Golotian in order to acquire the goods necessary for their prolonged survival.
Given their often remote locations in combination with their heavily fortified nature, the fortresses of the Standing Clans are mostly ignored by other species. Nevertheless, attacks on these fortresses do happen in cases where they are in supremely important strategic positions such as mountain passes or river crossings. Additional some fortress also sit atop value resources, which can temp other factions into attacking them in order to acquire them.

Theme Song

Lifespan

130-180 years (Clan dependant)

Average Height

2.2- 2.6 m (Clan dependant)

Average Weight

190-240 kg (Clan dependant)

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Their body tint ranges from light brown over viridian to blue-grey. Some Clans also possess characteristic skin markings or warpaints.

Related Myths

• The Lone Child